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• Buddha
  Buddha

  noun

  Prince Siddhāttha or Siddhartha, 566?–c480 b.c., Indian religious leader: founder of Buddhism.
• buddha
  buddha

  noun

  Buddhism (often capital) a person who has achieved a state of perfect enlightenment

Buddha

American  

[boo-duh, bood-uh] / ˈbu də, ˈbʊd ə /

noun

1. Also called Gautama, Butsu, Goutama Buddha, Goutama, Gautama Buddha. Prince Siddhāttha or Siddhartha, 566?–c480 b.c., Indian religious leader: founder of Buddhism.

2. any of a series of teachers in Buddhism, of whom Gautama was the last, who bring enlightenment and wisdom.

3. (sometimes lowercase) a person who has attained full prajna, or enlightenment; Arhat.

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buddha ¹ British  

/ ˈbʊdə /

noun

1. Buddhism (often capital) a person who has achieved a state of perfect enlightenment

2. an image or picture of the Buddha

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Buddha ² British  

/ ˈbʊdə /

noun

1. ?563–483 _bc , a title applied to Gautama Siddhartha, a nobleman and religious teacher of N India, regarded by his followers as the most recent rediscoverer of the path to enlightenment: the founder of Buddhism

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Etymology

Origin of Buddha

First recorded in 1675–85; from Sanskrit: “awakened” ( budh- “awaken, notice, understand” + -ta past participle suffix)

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Compare meaning

How does buddha compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Bodhisattva vs. Buddha

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Buddha buddha

Rob Reiner’s career began on television, and after leaving “All in the Family” he continued to perform, transforming tonally into a sort of gentle Jewish Buddha onscreen.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

Worker Buddha Tamang said he survived only because he was inside a tunnel at the dam where he worked when the flood struck -- but he had managed to get out and reach help.

From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026

Then, he was a military commander in Bamiyan, where the Taliban blew up ancient giant Buddha statues, triggering international shock and condemnation.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

Manjusri, with a calm smile, gently raises his hand to counter that the true nonmaterial essence of the Buddha can never be comprehended before transcending the material world.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

Almost all the time Uhmma twists her hair tight as wet laundry and sticks it on top of her head like on the Buddha statues in the park.

From "A Step from Heaven" by An Na

His wife, Diane, added a buddha after Game 1 which seems to have worked.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2025

The link between the sokushinbutsu and sacred mountains remains a through line in becoming a living buddha.

From National Geographic ● Jan. 19, 2024

Her buddha bowls celebrate the versatility and simplicity of this modern instagram food trend, champion seasonal veg and the power of a good dressing!

From Salon ● Oct. 26, 2019

Or at least a buddha with dreadlocks and diamanté-rimmed sunglasses.

From The Guardian ● Apr. 13, 2017

With all the cousins getting ready for the festivities, he was probably still sitting on his bed like a buddha, waiting for a pair of feet.

From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord

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